Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Jan 9

                                
 PRAGUE, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial
markets on Friday:
                                
 ALL TIMES GMT (Czech Republic: GMT + 1 hour)

 ======================== ECONOMIC DATA ========================
                                
 December inflation data at 0800 GMT.
                                
 December unemployment data at 0800 GMT.
                                
 Real-time economic data releases....................<ECONCZ>
                                
 Previous stories on Czech data.............[CZ-RTRS-LEN-ECI]
                                
 Overview of economic data and forecasts..........<CZ/ECON15>
                                
 Updates on Czech currency.............................[CZK/]
============================EVENTS==============================
                                
 PRAGUE - On-line interview with Czech Deputy Prime Minister
for European Affairs Alexandr Vondra on www.eu2009.cz at 0930
GMT.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
                                
 PRAGUE - Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek to meet his
Norwegian counterpart Jens Stoltenberg. Discussion on the
priorities of the Czech Presidency, financial and energy
situation on the schedule. News conference at 1120 GMT.
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DIP]
                                
 
                                
 PRAGUE - Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) to hold a national
committee (1300 GMT) and national conference (1430 GMT).
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
                                
 PRAGUE - Czech President Vaclav Klaus to meet Austrian
Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger at 1400 GMT).
                                
 Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DIP]
                                
 
========================= TOP NEWS =============================
                                
 GAS SOLUTION NEAR: Europe on Friday looked for a swift
restoration of gas supplies, after striking a deal with Moscow
on monitoring gas shipments via Ukraine that have been halted by
a rancorous pricing dispute with Kiev.
                                
 Story: [ID:L8375958] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-DIP]
                                
 
                                
 EURO IN 2013 AT EARLIEST: The Czech Republic can adopt the
euro currency in 2013 at the earliest if the government decides
this year to go ahead fast, Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek
said on Thursday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL8397977] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
 E.EUROPE EXPORTS HIT: Hungary's output plunged in November
and the Czech trade balance posted an unexpected deficit as a
collapse of demand in Europe took its toll on eastern Europe,
signalling that more rate cuts are on the cards.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL8122284] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ECI]
                                
 
                                
 CEE FX HIT BY ECON OUTLOOK: Romania's leu fell to an
all-time low on Thursday and the forint weakened to its lowest
since October following poor economic data from Hungary and the
Czechs, while the continuing Russia-Ukraine gas deadlock added
to the regional gloom.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL847554] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-FRX]
                                
 
                                
 NOV TRADE IN SURPRISE DEFICIT: The Czech foreign trade
balance posted a 0.5 billion crown ($25.97 million) deficit in
November on sharply falling exports, while analysts had expected
a surplus, data showed on Thursday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL8640494] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ECI]
                                
 
                                
 CAR SALES UP: Car sales in the Czech Republic rose 4.7
percent last year, the country's Car Importers Association said
on Thursday, but dealers are bracing for a tougher 2009 as the
economic slowdown bites.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL8169206] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-AUT]
                                
 
                                
 PM TAPS ECON COUNCIL: Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek
appointed an economic expert panel on Thursday with a task to
draft proposals to mitigate impacts of the global economic
crisis.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL8264207] Related news: RTRS-LEN-CZ-POL]
                                
 
                                
 FOREX RESERVES EDGE UP: The Czech central bank (CNB) said on
Thursday its foreign exchange reserves edged down to 26.58
billion euros at the end of December from a revised 27.11
billion at the end of the previous month.
                                
 Story: [ID:nL8615244] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-ECI]
                                
 
                                
 GOVT DEBT UP IN 2008: The Czech Republic's gross central
government debt rose to 999.5 billion crowns ($51.73 billion) at
the end of December from 925.5 billion crowns at the end of
September, the Finance Ministry said on Thursday.
                                
 Story: [ID:nPRA002306] Related news: [RTRS-LEN-CZ-GVD]
                                
 
 ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------
 Index/Crown Currency  Latest    Prev    Pct change   Pct change
                                
                              close   on day       in 2008
 vs Euro     <EURCZK=>  26.290   26.250   +0.00         +0.95
 vs Dollar      <CZK=>  19.170   19.184   +0.00         -5.29
 U.S. Equities  <.DJI>  08,742   08,770   -0.31        -34.09
 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1500

=========================PRESS DIGEST==========================
                                
 PENSION FUNDS: Pension companies will be able to offer
clients riskier asset funds as part of plans being drawn up for
the government's second round of pension reform.
                                
 E15, page 1
                                
 
                                
 IKEA EXPANDS: Swedish furniture maker IKEA will build a new
megastore in the Czech Republic for 2.5 billion Czech crowns
($130.1 million). The retailer currently has four stores.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 15
                                
 
                                
 
                                
  Reuters has not verified the media reports, nor does it
vouch for their accuracy.
                                
 
 For Instant Views of key economic data click on    [CZ/INSTANT]
 For summary of economic data and forecasts          <CZ/ECON01>
 For diary of forthcoming Czech events                [CZ/DIARY]
 For calendar of east European economic indicators  [CONV/DIARY]
 TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets                         [TOP/EMRG]
 TOP NEWS -- Convergence watch                        [TOP/EAST]

 For an economic indicator diary for the euro zone, the United
 States and other Group of Seven countries see         <G7TODAY>

 For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets:
 Warsaw WIG20 <.WIG20>  Budapest BUX <.BUX>  Prague PX <.PX>

                                
 News editor of the day: Jan Lopatka on +420 224 190 474;
fax: +420 224 229 935
                                
 E-mail: prague.newsroom@reuters.com
                                
  (Compiled by Jason Hovet)